Wandsworth Council has confirmed that it intends to seek expressions of interest from developers to build 10 to 12 five-a-side all-weather, floodlit pitches in the Triangle area of Tooting Common. These would be built where the existing playground, youth club, one o’clock club and all weather football pitch currently sit. The development is likely to extend to over and above the current footprint - although by how much is not yet clear - and the Council proposes to incorporate Woodfield Recreation Ground, where the Waldorf School operates from, into the Common as compensation.

Martin Stretton, Assistant Director of Leisure and Amenity Services has responded on behalf of the Council to some of the specific questions that have been asked:

Q: Will there be any floodlighting?

 Yes, it is proposed - which is why we have selected this corner of the Common by the railway and away from most fauna and residents.

Q: What is the precise layout/location of the pitches?

The exact location will not be known until a developer has been identified and detailed plans produced. The outline proposal for the hard surface is to be in the area of the current hard surface with some small overlap into the surrounding area.

Q: When and how will residents be consulted?

MAC (the Tooting Common Management Advisory Committee) meets monthly and will discuss the issue regularly. Residents will be consulted at public meetings and there will be notices on the Common.

Q: When is work likely to be started? Finished?

Not planned at this stage but probable build time of one year with 18 months planning / consultation etc.

Q: There are strong concerns that there’ll be problems with parking?

Users will be informed that parking is not available. School use will involve coach, club use will involve walking / cycling / coach / minibus.

Q: Will the existing playground and one o’clock club be moved? If so, where to?

Possible proposal which depends on the preferred layout of the new development. The one o’clock club will remain in the same general vicinity.

Q: Will the cricket pitch remain?

Yes

Q: Will the Council be charging for use and how will this work?

There will be a charge for use of the facility. Charges per hour will be published. Bookings will be made to the on-site office.

PRECIOUS is a group that has been formed by members of the local community to better understand Wandsworth Council’s proposal to develop the Triangle area of Tooting Common. PRECIOUS because our natural, open green spaces are very precious to those who use them regularly and because it’s an acronym that represents growing concern nationally at the insidious erosion of precious green spaces in our cities - Protecting the Rural Environment in our Community and In Our Urban Spaces.

Wandsworth Council says there is high demand for 12 new, all-weather, floodlit five-a-side football pitches on Tooting Common and we’d like to try and find out whether this is really true. So please feedback - use the comment tag below and let us know what you think.

Just click on the comment tag under each post to share your views. All comments will be published unless they contain anything of a personally offensive nature.

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And a special hello if you live in Balham, Streatham, Tooting and use Tooting Common regularly. You’re probably reading this because you’re one of a growing number of people who have heard of Wandsworth Council’s proposal to develop the Triangle area on Tooting Common and are struggling  to find more information.

In response to many people’s concerns - this is a proposal that affects so many different sectors of our community - an action  group, PRECIOUS, has been set up to try and understand exactly what Wandsworth Council wants to do (if you’re unsure their proposal is to seek expressions of interest for a series of up to 12 five-a-side floodlit football pitches on Tooting  Triangle - see www.goalsfootball.co.uk/About/Facilities.  to see how this might look).

We’re called PRECIOUS mainly because this  lovely green space is very precious to those who use it regularly - and it’s also an acronym that represents growing concern nationally about the erosion of green spaces in our cities – Protecting the Rural Environment in our Community and In Our Urban  Spaces.

What we  want to do in the first instance is to gather facts as few are currently available. We don’t believe a large and intrusive development of this kind is appropriate for a lovely, unspoilt, open, green space when there must be many  brownfield sites that could be used. We’ll be using this site to keep everyone up-to-date with all new information, facts, statistics and activity. We really want to hear from you - especially if you have any skills, connections or thoughts that could help - so please feel free to submit a post and share your thoughts. All posts will be published unless they are in any way personally offensive.

Two other campaigns are active, although these are not connected to this group. As part of this proposal Wandsworth Council has refused to renew the lease of the land, Woodfield Recreation Ground (WRG) which lies between Abbotswood Road and the Triangle, to the Waldorf School of South West London. The Waldorf School is campaigning to reverse this decision. You can see details at www.waldorf-swlondon.org.

Young parents are also campaigning on behalf of the much loved one o’clock club and playground within the Triangle - see http://triangleplayground.com/ for more information.